M^ 


;\ 


522*  £i  513  5:a.  .iSX  I^  "52- 

OF   THE 
.\T 

PRINCETON,   N.  J. 

x> t» >r  .-vi- 1  o  >r     c»  li- 

SAMUEL   AQNEW, 

OF     PHILADELPHIA,    PA. 


3<!M^P  r-  ^.^^^  Sf'^m^Q  *,, 


BV    800    .DA36 

Dehon,  Theodore,  1776-1817 

Sermons  on  confirmation 


^  r/sz.. 


r 


^  SERMONS 

ON 

CONFIRMATION; 

AND 

AN  ADDRESS 

DELIVERED  AFTER  ADMINISTERING   THAT    HOLY  AND 
APOSTOLIC    RITE. 


BY  THE  LATE    - 

RIGHT  REV.  THEODORE  DEHON,  D.  D. 

Bishop  of  the  Dioceas  of  South-Carolina. 


Published  by  permiasion  of  the  "Protestant  Episcopal  Society  for  the 
Advancement  of  Christianity  in  South-Carolina." 


Second  Edition. 


STEREOTYPED  BY  A.  CHANDLER. 


NEW- YORK: 
PUBLISHED  BY  T.  AND  J.  SWORDS, 

No.  127  Broadway. 

PRINTED  BY  EDWARD    J.  SWORDSf, 

No.  8  Thames-Street. 
1831." 


District  u/  ouuka-i^uioima. 

BE  II^  REMEMBERED,  That  on  the  third  day  ofMarcb^ 
Anno  Domini  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighteen,  in 
the  forty-second  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  "  The  Protestant  Episcopal  Society  for  the 
Adcancevient  of  Christianity  in  South  Carolina,''^  deposited 
in  this  otfice  the  title  of  a  Book,  the  right  whereof  they  claim, 
in  the  words  following,  to  wit: 

"Sermons  on  Confirmation;  and  an  Address  delivered 
after  administering  that  Holy  and  Apostolic  Rite.  By  the 
Jate  Right  Rev.  Theodore  Dehon,  D.  D.  Bishop  of  the  Diocess 
of  South-Carolina.  Published  for  the  benefit  of  the  Proies- 
tant  Episcopal  Society  for  the  Advancement  of  Christianity 
in  South-Carolina.'*' 

In  conformity  to  the  act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  entitled,  "An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning, 
by  securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books,  to  the 
authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the  limes  there- 
in mentioned ;"  and  also  an  act,  entitled  "  An  act,  supple- 
mentary to  an  act,  entitled  anact  for  the  encouragement  of 
learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books,  to 
the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  tlie  times 
therein  mentioned,  and  extending  the  benefits  thereof  to  the 
arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  etching  historical  and  other 
prints." 

JAMES  JERVEY, 

District  Clerk  of  S.  C.  D. 


ADVERTISEMExNT.  ..^ 


Some  time  before  the  much  lamented 
death  of  Bishop  Dehon,  that  Prelate 
expressed  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  his 
intention  of  giving  the  following  Dis- 
courses to  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Soci- 
ety for  the  Mvancement  of  Christicmity  in 
South  Carolina^  to  be  published  in  aid  of 
the  funds  of  that  Institution.  This  kind 
intention  has  since  been  fulfilled  by  his 
afflicted  wldo^v. 

The  Right  Rev.  Author  intended  to 
have  revised  and  prepared  these  Dis- 
courses for  the  press ;  but  the  hand  of 
death  unexpectedly  arrested  this  design. 
As  the  Board  of  Trustees  are  not  suffi- 
ciently acquainted  with  the  late  Prelate's 
views  on  this  subject,  to  venture  upon 
any  alteration,  they  arc   published  as 


iV  ADVERTISEMENT. 

they  were  delivered  by  the  author.  In 
presenting  them,  however,  to  the  pubhc, 
but  more  especially  to  the  members  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
Diocess  of  South  Carolina,  the  Board  feel 
an  assurance  that  they  will  be  read  with 
delight ;  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  be 
productive  of  good. 


SERMON  I. 


Hebrews  vi.  2. 

The  doctrine  of  baptisms,  and  of  laying  on 
of  hands* 

In  nothing  has  our  heavenly  Father  more 
afFectingly  commended  his  love  to  us,  than 
in  his  care  to  assure  us  of  it.  The  whole 
Christian  economy  is  calculated  to  niani- 
fist  to  the  children  of  men,  the  solici- 
tude of  their  Creator  for  their  happiness 
and  salvation-  The  mission  of  his  Son  to 
instruct  them  and  die  for  them  ;  the  institu- 
tion of  a  Church,  in  which  they  may  be 
brought  near  to  him,  and  nurtured  as  his 
children  by  adoption  ;  the  waters  of  baptism, 
in  which  they  may  be  washed  from  their  sins 
and  their  fears ;  the  banquet  of  his  holy  ta- 
ble, at  which  they  may  feast  upon  tokens  of 
forgiveness  and  pledges  of  eternal  life ;  the 
accommodation  of  his  gracious  promises  to 
the  capacity,  yea,  to  the  weakness  of  our  na- 
ture, are  so  many  demonstrations  of  his  care 
to  beget  in  us  a  confidenco  in  his  goodness^ 
1* 


6  SERMON    I. 

and  to  fill  us  thereby  with  love,  and  peace, 
and  joy.  This  is  signally  true  with  respect 
to  the  rite  of  Confirmation — a  rite  in  which 
the  Deity,  as  it  were,  takes  his  adopted  chil- 
dren by  the  hand,  to  put  them  in  possession 
of  the  estate  which  he  had  purchased  for 
them  with  his  blood,  and  in  the  contempla- 
tion of  which,  we  may  take  from  the  bod^ 
the  beautiful  apostrophe  with  which  its  won- 
derful formation  inspired  the  Psalmist,  and 
apply  it  to  the  soul;  "thou  hast  fashioned 
me  behind  and  before,  and  laid  thine  hand 
upon  me." 

The  rite  of  Confirmation  is  held  by  our 
Church,  as  it  is  also  represented  by  St.  Paul 
in  the  text  and  context,  to  be  a  first  princi- 
ple of  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  For  the  due 
administration  of  it,  she  has  provided  a  very 
instructive  and  solemn  office,  and  enjoined 
it  upon  the  officers  to  whom  the  administra- 
tion of  it  belongs,  to  endeavour  that  all  her 
children  have  opportunity  to  receive  it.  It 
is  made  my  duty,  beloved  brethren,  as  your 
parish  minister,  to  bring  this  rite  to  your 
consideration  ;  and,  in  another  relation  to 
you,  to  afford  you,  at  a  convenient  time, 
ipccasion  to   partakfc   of  its  benefits.     Puff 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  7 

posing  soon,  with  God's  permission,  to  dis- 
charge this  latter  obligation,  I  would,  as 
preparatory  thereto,  endeavour  to  discharge 
the  former,  by  setting  before  you  what  I 
think  will  comprise  all  you  may  be  anxious 
to  know  upon  the  subject ;  the  antiquity  and 
authority  of  it,  its  import,  and  the  propriety 
and  utility  of  it ;  attempting  to  obviate  such 
objections,  and  such  only,  as  may  seem  to 
have  any  foundation,  or  to  be  of  any  weight. 
The  import  of  this  ordinance  is  the  point 
of  greatest  consequence.  But  to  have  you 
more  seriously  interested  in  it,  its  antiquity 
is  first  named.  Were  it  a  novelty  sprung 
up  in  this  age  of  innovation,  it  would  be 
less  worthy  of  your  consideration  ;  for  con- 
cerning doctrines,  or  precepts,  or  rites,  it 
will,  in  all  cases,  hold  good,  that,  wanting 
age,  they  want  that  which  is  now  essential  to 
the  foundation,  or  first  principles  of  the 
Christian  religion.  But  when  this  rite  is 
shown  to  be  ancient  as  the  Apostles'  days, 
and  to  have  been  observed  in  the  Church  in 
every  age  since,  it  will  present  itself  to  you 
in  its  proper  venerable  form,  pointing  to  in- 
spiration  for  its  origin y  and  adducing  time  as 
its  advocate* 


8  SERMON   I. 

**  Laying  on  of  hands"  was  a  ceremony 
used  on  divers  occasions  in  the  first  years  of 
Christianity.  Upon  the  sick,  the  Apostles 
laid  their  hands  when  they  would  recover 
them.  In  the  ordination  of  any  one  to  ei- 
ther of  the  three  orders  of  the  ministry,  im- 
position of  hands  was  used.  And  sometimes 
in  simple  benediction,  or  in  sending  out 
Evangelists  upon  their  work,  recourse  v/as 
had  to  this  ancient  and  significant  ceremony. 
But  "  laying  on  of  hands"  is  mentioned  in 
the  text  with  **  baptism,"  and  faith,  and 
three  other  things  as  fundamentals  ;  that  is, 
as  elementary  principles  in  the  Christian  life. 
Now  in  the  elements,  or  first  principles  of 
any  scheme  of  religion,  all  who  would  be 
proficients  therein,  are  interested.  But  the 
*•  laying  on  of  hands"  in  ordinations,  or  in 
benedictions,  or  in  healing  the  sick,  con- 
cerned but  a  few,  and  those  exclusively. 
There  must,  therefore,  have  been  some  oc- 
casion of  using  this  rite,  in  which  all  Chris- 
tians partook  of  it.  Let  us  see  if  we  can 
find,  in  the  sacred  record,  mention  of  any 
such  occasion.  It  is  stated  in  the  eighth 
chapter  of  the  Acts,  that  Philip,  one  of  the 
first  Deacons,  preached  the  Gospel  to  the 


.     ON    CONFIRMATIOxN.  9 

Samaritans,  and  baptized  those  by  whom  it 
was  embraced.  The  Apostles  were  then 
remaining  at  Jerusalem.  When  they  "  heard 
that  Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God, 
they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John  ;  who, 
when  they  were  come  down,  prayed  for  them 
that  they  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost. 
For  as  yet  he  was  fallen  upon  none  of  them  ; 
only  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Then  laid  they  their  hands  on 
them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost." 
We  read,  moreover,  in  the  nineteenth  chap- 
ter of  the  same  book,  that  when  Paul,  hav- 
ing journeyed  through  the  upper  coasts  of 
Asia,  came  to  Ephesus,  he  found  there  cer- 
tain disciples  who  had  been  baptized  into 
John's  baptism,  and  who  told  him,  upon  his 
asking  them  whether  they  had  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  since  they  believed,  that  they 
had  not  so  much  as  heard  whether  there 
was  any  Holy  Ghost.  The  great  Apostle 
preached  unto  them  Jesus,  in  whose  name 
they  were  presently  baptized.  *'  And  when 
Paul  had  laid  his  hands  upon  them,  the  Holy 
Ghost  came  on  them."  These  acts  are 
mentioned  as  if  they  were  done  of  course, 
in  conformity  with  a  usage  of  the  Apostles, 


10  SERMON  I. 

for  signifying  and  conveying  to  the  recipients 
their  interest  in  that  gift  which  Christ  had 
purchased,  and  having  ascended  up  on  high, 
had  received,  for  men,  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Here,  then,  is  a  proper  confirmation  ; 
and  the  question  arises,  whether  all  Chris- 
tians partook  of  this  rite  ?  From  the  nature 
of  the  thing,  and  the  testimony  and  usages 
of  the  Fathers  of  the  first  centuries,  it  is 
reasonable  to  infer  that  they  did.  Of  the 
gift  of  the  Spirit,  which  it  signified,  they  all 
had  need  ;  being  all  heirs  of  tliat  infirmity 
and  corruption  which  unfitted  them  to  do, 
or  to  think,  that  which  was  good,  without 
the  help  of  God.  It  was  declared  to  be 
prepared  for  them  all.  "  Repent,  and  be 
baptized,"  said  St.  Peter  to  the  multitude, 
**  and  ye  shall  receive  the  Holy  Ghost ;  for 
the  promise  is  to  you,  and  to  your  children, 
and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  to  as  many 
as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 

Of  the  graces  and  comforts  which  are  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  our  blessed  Lord  prayed 
that  not  only  his  chosen  disciples  should  par- 
take, but  all  who,  through  their  word,  should 
believe  on  his  name.  And  there  are  facts 
which  ^videiw^e  that,  of  the  thing  signified 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  11 

by  Confirmation,  all  Christians  did  partici- 
pate. The  Apostles,  in  writing  to  them 
assert,  that  they  had  received  the  Spirit ; 
and  the  unity  and  strength,  the  patience  and 
perseverance  w^hich  they  had  collectively, 
and  the  peace,  and  love,  and  joy,  which 
pervaded  their  bosoms  individually,  cannot, 
consistently  with  Christian  doctrine,  be  at- 
tributed to  any  other  source.  As,  therefore, 
all  needed  and  received  the  thing  signified, 
and  must  equally  have  needed  to  be  assured 
of  their  interest  in  it  by  the  sign,  it  is  pro- 
bable they  all  obtained  it  after  the  same 
manner  in  which  it  was  conveyed  in  the  par- 
ticular cases  which  are  recorded,  viz.  by 
laying  on  of  the  Apostles'  hands.  These 
holy  men,  who  were  the  first  Bishops  of  the 
Church,  as  far  superior  in  holiness  as  in  zeal, 
to  all  who  have  succeeded  them,  journeyed 
continually  from  place  to  place,  planting  and 
"  confirming  the  Churches."  The  gifts  and 
graces  of  the  Spirit  appear  to  have  abounded 
in  those  Churches  which  they  personally  vi- 
sited. And  when  St.  Paul  expresses  his  af- 
fectionate wish  to  visit  the  Christians  at 
Rome,  that  he  might  impart  to  them  some 
spiritual  gift,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive,  un- 


12  SERMON    I. 

less  he  would  do  it  by  some  bodily  act,  why 
the  gift  might  not  have  been  communicated 
by  message  or  by  letter.  It  should  seem, 
then,  that  that  was  done  generally  to  all 
Christians  which  was  done  to  the  Samaritan 
converts ;  they  received  from  the  proper 
minister,  when  they  had  been  baptized,  an 
imposition  of  hands,  to  signify  and  convey 
to  them  their  strength  and  comfort  in  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Without  this  supposition  it 
will  be  impossible  to  find  in  the  Sacred  Vol- 
ume any  trace  of  a  laying  on  of  hands, 
such  as  the  text,  and  the  words  connected 
with  it  describe  ;  for  unless  it  were  partici- 
pated by  all  Christians,  it  could  not  sustain 
the  character  of  a  foundation  or  first  prin- 
ciple of  the  doctrine  of  Christ :  and  what 
other  laying  on  of  hands  is  mentioned  in  the 
Gospel  which  could  have  been  so  partici- 
pated? The  fathers  of  the  earliest  centuries, 
who,  living  near  the  Apostles'  times,  are 
most  likely  to  have  known  the  practice  of 
the  first  Christians,  confirm  this  opinion.  In 
their  day  the  ceremony  of  laying  on  of  hands 
was  applied  to  all  Christians  after  their  bap- 
tism ;  and  they  declare  this  use  of  it  to  be 
derived  from  the  usage  of  the  Apostles.     Do 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  13 

you  ask,  says  St.  Jerome,  where  it  is  writ- 
ten ?  It  is  written  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles.     Indeed,   it    is    not    easy    to    conceive 
how  a  rite  should,  at  so  early  a  period,  have 
been  so  universally  received,  if  it  had  not 
come  to  those  who  received  it  with  the  au- 
thority of  an  apostolic  institution.     Confir- 
mation, then,  was  the  ''  laying  on  of  hands," 
of  which  all  partook  after  the  reception  of 
baptism;  and  the  only  use  of  this  ceremony, 
which   could    be   styled  an   element   of  the 
Christian  economy,  and,  consequently,   that 
alluded  to  in  the  text ;  where  we  find  it  hav- 
ing St.  Paul's   reverence  and  support,  and 
placed  on  the  same  ground,  in  the  same  rank 
with  repentance,  and  faith,  and  baptism,  and 
the  resurrection   of  the  dead,   and   eternal 
judgment.     This  has  been  the  most  ancient 
and  general  exposition  of  this  celebrated  pas- 
sage of  the  Sacred  Writings.     The  learned 
Grotius  could  find  no  other  satisfactory  ex- 
planation of  it ;    and  the   reforming  Calvin, 
in   his  commentary  upon   the  passage,  con- 
fesses that    this  one  place  evi-lcntiy   shows 
that    Confirmation    was    instituted    by    the 
Apostles. 

The  only  difiiculty  in  this  part  of  the  sub- 


14  SERMON   I. 

ject  arises  out  of  the  supposition,  that  the 
"  laying  on  of  hands,"  in  the  apostolic  age, 
was  for  the  communication  of  the  miraculous 
powers  which  had  been  received  from  the 
Holy  Ghost.  It  is  certainly  true,  that  by  im- 
position of  the  Apostles'  hands  were  con- 
veyed to  others  those  supernatural  powers 
with  which  the  Apostles  were  endowed  by 
the  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  And 
this  was  an  operation  of  the  Comforter, 
adapted  to  the  exigencies  of  the  Christians 
at  that  particular  juncture  ;  a  surprising  at- 
testation to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  without 
which  it  probably  would  not  so  successfully 
have  spread  itself  in  the  world  ;  certainly 
not  with  such  wonderful  rapidity.  But  I 
know  not  on  what  ground  it  is  assumed  that 
none  but  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  were  conveyed  by  this  rite.  The  or- 
dinary influences  of  the  Spirit  were  then 
equally  necessary  to  the  formation  and  dis- 
play of  the  perfection  of  the  Christian  cha- 
racter ;  and  those  fruits  of  goodness  wlrich 
can  be  brought  to  maturity  only  by  his  power, 
were,  in  that  age,  produced  in  Christians  in 
extraordinary  perfection.  And  he  who  had 
been   instrumental  in  conveying,  more  fre- 


ON    COxNFIRMATIOxV.  15 

quently  than  any  other  of  the  Apostles,  the 
Holy  Ghost,  informs  us,  that  "  to  one  is  given 
by  the  Spirit,  the  word  of  wisdom  ;  to  ano- 
ther, the  word  of  knowledge  by  the  same 
Spirit ;  to  another,  faith  by  the  same  Spirit ; 
to  another,  the*  gifts  of  healing  by  the  same 
Spirit ;  to  another,  the  working  of  miracles  ; 
to  another,  prophecy  ;  to  another,  discerning 
of  Spirits;  to  another,  divers  kinds  of  tongues; 
to  another,  the  interpretation  of  tongues. 
But  all  these  worketh  that  one  and  the  self- 
same Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  severally 
as  he  will."  After  Christianity  became  es- 
tablished, and  the  props  of  miraculous  pow- 
ers were  unnecessary  to  its  support,  the  or- 
dinary and  secret  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  rose  in  the  comparative  estimate  to 
the  greater  importance  ;  and  these  are  now 
essential  requisites  to  the  accomplishment 
of  his  gracious  will  concerning  us  in  Christ 
Jesus.  And  can  we  doubt  that  he,  who 
adapts  the  productions  of  the  earth  to  the 
season,  and  the  pleasures  and  dispositions 
of  man  to  his  age,  will  adapt  Che  operation 
of  the  ordinances  which  he  hath  approved, 
to  the  necessities  of  those  for  whose  benefit 
they  were  instituted.     That  the  miraculous 


16  SERMON   I. 

powers  of  the  Holy  iGrhost  were  not  the  only 
fruit  of  Confirmation,  in  the  view  of  those 
who  lived  nearer  to  the  age  of  Christian  sim- 
plicity than  ourselves  ;  yea,  that  these  pow- 
ers were  not  to  be  expected  when  they  were 
no  longer  needed,  but  more  useful  benefits 
sought,  is  evidently  the  decision  of  reason, 
and  was  the  declaration  of  the  most  eminent 
of  the  ancient  theologians.  Does  any  man, 
says  the  celebrated  St.  Augustin,  does  any 
man  now  expect  to  hear  them  speak  with 
new  tongues,  who  receive  imposition  of  hands 
as  a  mean  to  convey  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  Or 
when  we  laid  our  hand  on  these  infants,  did 
any  of  you  expect  that  they  should  speak 
w^ith  tongues  ?  And  when  they  did  not,  were 
any  of  you  so  perverse  in  heart  as  to  say 
they  have  not  received  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  By 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  given  only  in  the 
Catholic  Church  by  imposition  of  hands,  our 
forefathers  would  have  us  to  understand  what 
the  Apostle  says,  *'  the  love  of  God  is  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  is  given  us."  Other  gifts  and  graces 
than  miraculous  powers,  may  surely  mani- 
fest the  presence  of  God's  Spirit  with  men  ; 
and  why  they  may  not  be  the   fruits  of  an 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  17 

observance  of  this  ordinance,  it  will  not  be 
easy  to  say. 

.  It  may,  however,  be  thought  that  this  rite 
was  efficacious  only  in  the  hands  of  the  Apos- 
tles, who  were  so  extraordinarily  endowed, 
and  was  designed  to  be  used  only  in  their 
day.  The  passage  of  which  the  text  is  a 
part,  is  irreconcilable  with  this  opinion.  For 
if  the  doctrine  of  "  laying  on  of  hands"  be 
a  foundation  in  the  fabric  of  the  Christian 
rehgion,  it  must  last  as  long  as  the  religion 
itself;  if  it  be  a  first  principle  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  it  can  never  cease,  but  must 
be  received  and  found  important  to  the 
latest  day,  by  all  who  embrace  the  Gospel. 
They  who  hved  near  to  the  Apostles  doubt- 
less knew  their  sense  of  this  matter.  They 
did  not  sufi'er  the  rite  to  be  laid  aside.  They 
assert,  that  it  descended  to  the  Church  from 
the  Apostles ;  and  we  find  it  in  fact  contin- 
ued universally  in  the  Church  from  their 
day  to  the  period  of  the  Reformation.  It 
may  be  agreeable  to  you  to  hear  some  of 
the  testimonies  to  this  effect.  Tertullian, 
writing  upon  baptism,  says,  after  baptism 
succeeds  "laying  on  of  hands,"  by  benedic- 
tion, calling  for  and  invoking  the  Holy  Spi- 
2* 


18  SER3I0N    I. 

rit.  Cyprian,  speaking  of  the  Confirmation 
of  the  Samaritan  converts,  says,  "  the  same 
custom  is  now  observed  among  us,  that  they 
who  are  baptized  in  the  Church  may  be  pre- 
sented to  the  Governors  of  it,  that  by  our 
prayer  and  imposition  of  hands  they  may 
obtain  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  be  perfected 
with  the  seal  of  Christ."  Jerome  demands, 
"  are  you  ignorant  that  now  this  is  the  cus- 
tom of  the  Churches  upon  those  who  have 
been  baptized,  afterwards  to  lay  hands  and 
thus  invoke  the  Holy  Spirit.  Do  you  ask 
where  it  is  written?  In  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  Although  if  there  were  no  au- 
thority of  Scripture  for  it,  the  consent  of 
the  whole  world  in  this  particular  has  the 
force  of  a  command."  St.  Augustin,  writing 
upon  the  Trinity,  observes,  "  the  Apostles 
prayed  that  the  Holy  Spirit  would  come 
upon  those  on  whom  they  laid  their  hands. 
They  themselves  did  not  give  him.  Which 
custom,  after  their  example,  deriving  it  from 
them,  the  Church  observes  to  this  c^ay." 
St.  Ambrose,  commenting  upon  the  words 
of  my  text,  says,  "it  means  the  imposition 
of  hands,  by  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  sup- 
posed to  be  received;  which,  after  baptism, 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  19 

is  wont  to   be  done  by  the  chief  priests,  for 
the  confirmation  of  men  in  the  unity  of  the 
Church  of  Christ."     We  have  parts  of  an 
office  for  the  administration  of  Confirmation, 
which  was  used  near  fourteen  hundred  years 
ago  ;  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  find,  before 
the  Reformation,  a  Church  in  which  Confir- 
mation was  not  retained.     At  the  Reforma- 
tion it  was  preserved  by  all  the  Protestant 
Churches,  which  kept  the^Episcopal  office. 
The  Lutheran  Church,  which  did  not  hold 
that    office  essential,  nevertheless    retained 
Confirmation  as  of  Apostolic  origin,  commit- 
ting the  administration  of  it  to  the  priests; 
and  in  Calvin's   Church,  the  Church  of  Ge- 
neva, which  at  first  renounced  it,  it  has  been 
restored,  and  an  office  provided  for  the  admi- 
nistration of  it.     To  us  it  has  come  through  a 
very  ancient  Church,  which  never  was  with- 
out it.     And  our  Church,   you   know,   hath 
set  forth   her  excellent  Catechism    for   the 
very  purpose  of  preparing   her  children   for 
this  ordinance  ;    and  at   baptism  gives  it  in 
special  charge  to  sponsors  to  take  care  that 
at  a  suitable  time  their  wards  receive  it. 

Now,  concerning  the  authority  of  this  rite, 
after  the  account  which  has  been  given  of  it, 


20  SERMON    I. 

it  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  utter  many  words. 
There  is  an  obligation  upon  all  men  to  ob- 
serve the  institutions  of  the  community  to 
which  they  belong,  that  have  been  established 
by  proper  authority,  and  are  of  public  utility  ; 
and  this  obligation  has  a  peculiar  force  in  the 
Church  of  Christ.  For  an  ordinance  of  our 
religion  which  comes  to  us  clothed  with  such 
venerable  antiquity,  nature,  moreover,  dic- 
tates that  we  manifest  a  sacred  respect.  But 
when  we  rise  to  tlie  Apostolic  ago,  and  be- 
hold it  provided  for  and  practised  by  the 
twelve,  we  find  it  supported  by  the  authority 
of  God.  Our  Lord  passed  with  his  Apostles 
forty  days  after  his  resurrection,  "  speaking 
of  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of 
God."  During  this  time  he  doubtless  gave 
them  many  instructions  how  they  were  to 
proceed  in  all  things  which  concerned  his 
Church.  The  beloved  disciple  tells  us,  that 
very  many  things  were  spoken  which  are 
not  recorded.  They  are  not  written,  be- 
cause they  concerned  those  only  to  whom 
they  were  addressed.  Enough  is  written, 
that  we  may  believe,  and  "  believing,  may 
have  life  through  his  name."  When  about 
to  leave  them  and  return  to  his  Father,  he 


ON    CONFIRMATIOxN.  21 

moreover  promised  to  send  the  Holy  Ghost 
to  them,  that  he  might  "  bring  all  things  to 
their  remembrance,"  and  "  guide  them  into 
all  truth."  This  promise  was  fulfilled  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  we  may  be  sure 
that  the  things  concerning  doctrine,  or  go- 
vernment, or  worship,  which  the  Apostles 
established  in  the  Church  as  of  universal 
obligation,  they  established  according  to  the 
instructions  of  their  Mater,  or  by  the  inspi- 
ration of  this  Spirit  of  Truth.  Whatever 
they  placed  in  the  foundations  of  Christianity, 
as  they  have  "  the  laying  on  of  hands,"  had 
divine  approbation.  Whatever  they  ranked 
among  the  first  principles  of  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  had  the  authority  of  God. 

Could  any  thing  add  to  the  obligation  of 
that  which  has  the  authority  of  God,  there 
will  be  found,  when  we  come  to  treat  of  the 
utility  of  this  rite,  some  considerations  which 
cannot  fail  to  attract  to  it  our  regard.  It 
will  then  be  seen  to  have  had  its  correspon- 
dent in  the  Jewish  Church,  and  its  analogy 
in  the  heathen  world  ;  to  have  been  prefi- 
gured by  the  great  visible  descent  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  upon  the  Apostles  on" the  day  of 
Pentecost,  and  to  be  commended  to  our  ob- 


22  SERMON   I. 

servance  by  some  instructive  circumstances 
of  the  baptism  of  our  blessed  Lord.  But, 
before  we  proceed  to  the  pro})riety  and  utility 
of  the  rite,  its  import  should  have  our  atten- 
tion. Of  this  it  is  proposed  in  the  next  place 
to  treat. 

2.  Confirmation,  you  have  seen,  is  the 
*'  laying  on  of  hands,"  alluded  to  in  the  text. 
This  rite  was,  indeed,  anciently  called  the 
**  laying  on  of  hands."  Confirmation  is  a 
name  given  it  in  later  ages.  But  how  came 
the  ceremony  of  "  laying  on  of  hands"  to  be 
used  in  this  business  ^  What  does  it  imply  ? 
Wherein  consists  its  significance  and  value.'* 

Let  it  be  observed,  that  this  is  the  most 
natural  and  ancient  way  of  indicating  the 
blessing  of  any  person,  and  designation  of 
him  to  any  honour,  trnst,  favour,  atid  pro- 
tection. Thus  Jacob,  when,  with  parental 
affection  and  prophetical  authority,  he  would 
bestow  a  benediction  upon  the  two  sons  of 
Joseph,  and  declare  the  favours  and  distinc- 
tions which  awaited  them,  laid  his  hands  upon 
their  heads.  Thus  Moses,  when  he  would 
impart  to  Joshua  a  portion  of  his  honour 
according  to  God's  command,  did  it  by  this 


ON    COXFIRMATIOX.  23 

ceremony.     -  And  Joshua,"  says  the  record, 
^'  was  full  of  the  Spirit  of  Wisdom,  for  Mo- 
ses had   laid  his   hands  upon  him."     Thus 
when  a  part  of  the  same   Spirit  which  was 
in  the  great  ruler  of  Israel,  was  to  be  taken 
by  God,  and  put  into  the  seventy  elders  who 
were  to  share  with  him  his  cares  and  honours, 
It  w^as  done,  the  Jewish  writers  tell   us,  by 
"  laying  on  of  hands."     Moses,  our  master, 
saith   Maimonides,  created  the  seventy   el- 
ders by  imposition  of  hands,  and  the  divine 
Majesty  rested  on   them  ;   and  these  elders 
imposed   hands    on    others,    and    others   on 
others.     And   they  were  found  created  unto 
the  house   of  judgment,  of  Joshua  and   of 
Moses.     Thus  the  Priests  and  Levites  under 
the  Jewish  dispensation,  extended  their  hands 
over  the  whole  congregation,  when  they  pro- 
nounced  upon   them   the   blessing   of  God. 
And  thus  our  divine  Master,"  the  pattern  of 
all  that  is  wise  and  becoming  in  human  con- 
duct, when  he  would  declare  his  good  will 
towards  the  young  children  whom  the  peo- 
ple had  brought  unto  him,  laid  his  hands  on 
them,  and  blessed  them.     This  ceremony  is, 
mdeed,  the  natural  expression  of  affection- 
ate  or  authoritative   benediction.     The  fa- 


34  SERMON    I. 

ther,  the  priest,  the  friend  lifts  his  hands  to 
heaven  in  suppHcation  of  a  blessing,  and 
then,  causing  them  to  descend  and  rest  upon 
the  head  of  the  object  for  whom  he  suppli- 
cates, consigns  him  thereby  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  blessing  sought,  and  certifies  to 
him  his  faith  that  it  will  come  upon  him. 

Now  our  heavenly  Father  deals  with  us  as 
with  men.  He  has  graciously  accommodated 
himself  to  our  nature  in  all  his  transactions 
concerning  our  salvation.  A  religion  with- 
out forms,  proposing  inward  spiritual  graces 
without  any  outward  visible  signs  or  expres- 
sions of  them,  would  not  be  adapted  to  us 
in  our  present  condition,  if,  indeed,  such  a 
religion  would  be  suited  to  the  condition  of 
any  created  beings  in  the  universe.  Man 
has  a  body  as  well  as  a  spirit ;  senses  as  well 
as  a  soul.  And  in  nothing  has  God  more 
commended  his  care  and  condescension  to 
us,  than  in  his  regard  to  this  constitution  of 
our  nature,  in  the  revelation  he  has  given 
us  of  our  interests  and  duties.  By  outward 
signs  he  manifests  and  certifies,  even  to  our 
senses,  the  wonders  of  his  mercy  ;  and  these 
signs  are  taken  from  usages  of  our  natural 
life,  which  furnish  instructive  analogies,  and 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  25 

are,  in  their  spiritual  application,  both  sim- 
pie  and  impressive.  The  waters  of  baptism 
are  but  a  visible  representation  and  assu- 
rance of  the  cleansing  of  our  nature  from 
the  guilt  of  original  sin,  through  the  mercies 
that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  In  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per there  is  a  sensible  representation  of  the 
sacrifice  by  which  our  sins  are  taken  away, 
and  sensible  pledges  of  the  favour  of  God, 
and  of  our  sustenance  to  everlasting  life. 
Yea,  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  a  re- 
presentation, by  artificial  methods,  of  the 
truths  it  reveals ;  for  words  are  but  signs  of 
the  things  expressed  by  them,  fit  and  neces- 
sary to  be  used  by  beings  to  whom  the  ear 
is  an  avenue  of  knowledge,  and  speech  an 
instrument  for  conveying  it.  And  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  conceive  why  men  may  not  be  in- 
structed by  the  hand  as  well  as  the  tongue  ; 
why  the  gestures  of  the  former,  as  well  as 
the  motions  of  the  latter,  may  not  be  ren- 
dered by  him  who  made  them  both  signifi- 
cant of  his  mercy,  and  promotive  of  his 
praise.  If  there  be  any  spiritual  blessings 
which  *'  laying  on  of  hands"  might  happily 
signify  or  convey,  there  will  be  found,  in 
the  account  which  has  been  given  of  the 
3 


26  SERMON   I. 

ancient  and  natural  use  of  this  ceremony, 
impressive  reasons  why  the  adoption  of  it 
by  our  heavenly  Father,  in  expressing  to  us 
his  mercies,  would  be  very  instructive  and 
full  of  comfort.  Let  us  see  whether  there 
are  any  such  blessings. 

What  are  the  benefits  which  man  seeks  in 
recurring  to  the  Gospel  ?  They  are  all  its 
merciful  proffers  ;  the  pardon  of  sins  ;  adop- 
tion anew  into  the  favour  of  God  ;  the  pro-: 
mise  of  eternal  life  ;  but  chiefly  after  he  has 
been  by  baptism  "  regenerate  and  grafted 
into  the  body  of  Christ's  Church  ;"  tlte  pro- 
tecting and  strengthening,  the  sanctifying 
and  comforting  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Reason,  in  the  wisest  of  the  heathens,  taught 
them  the  necessity  of  divine  assistance  in 
the  pursuit  of  goodness.  The  Scriptures 
tell  us  that  we  are  not  ''  sufficient  of  our- 
selves to  think  any  thing  of  ourselves  ;  that 
our  sufficiency  is  of  God."  The  experience 
©f  every  considerate  man  shows  him,  alas  I 
the  frailty  of  his  nature  when  he  is  left  to 
himself;  his  dej)endence  for  faith  and  holi- 
ness upon  the  help  oi'  («od.  The  presence, 
indeed,  and  efficacious  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  are  that  without  which  man  sinks. 


GN    CONFIRMATION.  27 

the  victim  of  his  intirmities,  into  ignorance 
and  corruption,  and  spiritual  death  ;  and 
with  which  he  rises  in  proportion  to  his  mea- 
sure of  it,  and  the  constancy  of  its  opera- 
tion, to  a  nearer  and  nearer  resemblance  to 
the  God  who  created  him.  This  important 
gift,  with  the  other  mercies  of  the  Gospel,  the 
Almighty  covenants  with  Christians,  when 
they  are  baptized,  to  bestow  upon  them  ;  and 
no  outward  rite,  more  affecting,  could  he 
have  approved  "  as  a  means  whereby"  to 
convey  "the  same;"  no  ceremony  more 
significant  can  be  imagined  as  "  a  pledge 
to  assure  us  thereof,"  than  the  "  laying  on 
of  hands."  How  naturally  this  ceremony 
may  be  applied  to  a  use  like  this  !  how  adapt- 
ed to  it,  it  is  in  the  view  of  God  himself,  is 
impressively  shown  us  in  two  occurrences 
upon  sacred  record.  The  first  is  an  event 
in  the  life  of  Moses.  When  the  glory  of 
the  Divine  Nature  was  to  pass  this  ancient 
servant  of  the  Almighty,  to  protect  and  com- 
fort him,  lest  he  should  be  consumed  in  all 
his  infirmities  by  the  display  of  the  face  of 
God,  we  are  told  that  he  placed  him  first  in 
the  cleft  of  a  rock,  which  may  not  unaptly 
represent  baptism,  whose  waters  were  typi- 


28  sERsroN  I. 

fied  by  the  waters  which  flowed  from  the 
cleft  of  the  rock  which  Moses  smote  ;  and 
afterwards,  for  his  greater  security,  covered 
him  with  his  hand  while  he  passed  by.  The 
other  is  an  occurrence  in  the  life  of  the  be- 
loved disciple,  on  that  interesting  Lord^s 
day  which  he  passed  in  the  isle  of  Patmos. 
There  appeared  to  him  **  one  like  the  Son 
of  Man."  "  And  when  he  saw  him,"  over- 
whelmed, doubtless,  by  his  greatness,  and 
the  consciousness  of  his  own  imperfections, 
he  "  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead."  And  Jesus, 
for  it  was  probably  he,  who  had  come  to  his 
disciple  in  exile,  "  laid  his  right  hand  upon 
him,  saying  unto  him.  Fear  not,"  So  natu- 
ral and  significant  is  it  even  with  God,  to 
express  the  bestowal  of  protection,  benedic- 
tion and  favour,  by  the  **  laying  on  of  hands." 
And  what  can  man  more  earnestly  desire 
than  such  a  sensible  benediction  from  his 
Father  in  heaven .''  How  should  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  be  more  suitably  conveyed 
than  by  such  an  imposition  of  hands  ? 

But  what  do  I  say  ?  "  Will  God  in  very 
deed  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  Behold  the  heaven, 
and  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain 
him  f "  And  shall  he  appear  in  every  instance 


ON   COx\FIRMATION.  23 

to  certify  to  every  man  this  his  gift  ?  To  us, 
sinful  beings,  shall  the  God  of  Heaven  come 
to  lay  on  us,  individually,  his  hands  ?  Ah  ! 
beloved  brethren,  who  could  stand  if  he 
thus  appeared  ?  Before  him  the  angels  bow, 
and  the  archangels  veil  their  faces.  At  his 
presence  "  the  earth  trembleth,"  and  the 
"  mountains  quake"  at  his  apj)earance.  He 
looketh  unto  "  the  moon,  and  it  shineth  not, 
and  the  stars  are  not  pure  in  his  sight."  His 
people  hear  his  voice  in  Sinai,  and  they  ex- 
claim, *'  Let  not  God  speak  unto  us,  lest  we 
die."  Even  Moses  says,  *'  I  exceedingly 
fear  and  tremble."  At  the  naked  display  of 
the  face  of  our  Creator,  it  is  to  be  feared, 
we  should,  in  this  life,  be  consumed.  We 
must  wait  till  v\'e  have  put  off  these  simple 
bodies,  and  all  the  imperfections  of  this 
earthly  state  ;  we  must  wait  till  the  Son,  our 
Mediator,  shall  present  us  to  the  eternal 
glory  of  the  Father,  covering  us  even  then 
with  his  own  ''  right  hand,"  before  we  can 
sustain  the  sight  of  Almighty  God.  "  No 
man  shall  see  me,  and  live." 

How,   then,  shall  our   Father  in  heaven 
signify  to  us,  and  convey  this  inestimable 
gift  1  Should  he  send  iiis  angels  on  this  er~ 
3* 


30  SERMON   I. 

rand  of  love ;  should  these  '*  ministering 
spirits"  of  his  kingdom  descend  in  his  be- 
half, to  lay  on  us  their  hands,  to  assure  us 
of  his  favour  and  help,  there  are  evil  conse- 
quences from  which  it  would  not  be  easy  to 
secure  our  feeble  nature.  Man  is  prone  to 
be  led  by  his  senses.  The  idolatry  of  the 
world  shows  how  apt  he  is  to  offer  his  ho- 
mage to  the  sensible  sources  of  his  benefits, 
to  rest  his  spirit  upon  representations  of  the 
invisible  God.  Should  angels  bestow  visi- 
bly upon  every  man,  the  benediction  of  the 
Almigbty,  there  would  be  great  danger  that 
our  admiration,  and  gratitude,  and  even  our 
worship,  would  be  confined  to  these  glorious 
benefactors  ;  and  thus  we  might  be  led  to 
render  to  creatures  the  honour  which  is  due 
to  the  Being  who  hath  declared  himself  "  a 
jealous  God,"  and  sufters  not  his  honour  to 
be  given  with  impunity  to  any  other. 

Yet  that  which  the  great  King  of  Heaven 
does  not  descend  to  do  himself  to  every  per- 
son, he  may  do  effectually  by  instruments 
and  agents ;  and  with  wonderful  condescend 
sion,  he  takes  of  the  frail  children  of  men, 
to  minister  among  men  in  things  pertaining 
to  his  kingdom.    He  hath  appointed  a  Priest- 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  31 

hood  in  his  Church  ;  and  to  those  who  suc- 
cessively are  ordained  to  it,  he  hath  com- 
mitted "the  ministry  of  reconciHation,"  the 
dispensing  of  his  word  and  sacraments,  and 
the  performance,  in  his  name,  of  all  visible 
acts  concerning  your  salvation.  To  them  it 
appertains  to  seal  to  every  Christian  in  bap- 
tism his  participation  of  all  the  mercies  re- 
vealed in  Christ,  and  especially  of  the  pro- 
mise of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  when  he  comes 
of  age  to  need  more  particularly  this  portion 
of  his  inheritance,  by  "  laying  on  of  hands,'* 
to  certify  him  of  God's  favour  and  gracious 
goodness  towards  him  ;  to  signify  and  convey 
to  him  his  strength  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Not  that  in  them  there  is  any  extraordinary 
virtue,  Ah !  no.  To  use  the  language  of 
St.  Paul,  they,  too,  are  men  subject  to  like 
passions  with  yourselves.  It  is  the  office, 
brethren,  and  not  the  mortal  man,  that  we 
would  have  in  your  view  in  all  our  holy 
functions.  In  taking  from  among  men  the 
agents  whom  he  employs  in  the  works  of 
your  salvation,  God  has  graciously  accom- 
modated himself  to  the  infirmities  and  con- 
venience of  your  nature  ;  wisely  guarding 
you  against  the  peril  of  having  your  attention 


32  SERMON    I. 

turned  from  him  to  any  other  beings  as 
sources  of  your  blessings.  The  "  treasure" 
of  Confirmation,  as  an  inspired  Apostle  hath 
said  of  all  the  benefits  of  the  Christian  mi- 
nistry, you  "  have  in  earthen  vessels,  that 
the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be  of  God, 
and  not  of  us." 

You  see,  then,  that  in  the  ordinance  of 
"  laying  on  of  hands,"  they  who  minister 
therein,  do,  in  God's  behalf,  by  this  signifi- 
cant act,  confirm  to  Christians  the  mercies 
of  the  baptismal  covenant ;  and  more  espe- 
cially, as  what  they  have  then  most  need  to 
receive  and  be  assured  of,  his  heavenly  be- 
nediction, and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Accordingly,  in  the  excellent  oftice  provided 
by  our  Church  for  the  due  administration  of 
this  rite,  they  first  pray  that  the  Almighty 
would  "  strengthen"  those  who  are  to  re- 
ceive it  "  with  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Com- 
forter ;  and  daily  increase  in  them  his  mani- 
fold gifts  of  grace :"  and  when  they  lay  their 
hands  severally  upon  the  heads  of  the  reci- 
pients, they  do  it,  supplicating  for  each,  that 
^'God  would  defend  them  with  his  heavenly 
grace,  that  they  may  continue  his  for  ever, 
and  daily  increase  in  his  Holy  Spirit  more  and 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  33 

more,  until  they  come  unto  his  everlasting 
kingdom." 

But  the  gift  of  this,  aiid  of  all  the  mercies 
of  the  Gospel,  is  suspended  by  the  Author  of 
them  upon  certain  conditions.  Evident  it  is, 
in  the  nature  of  the  thing,  that  they  who 
desire  and  seek  the  Holy  Spirit,  must  have 
repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  a  sincere  wish  to  walk  in  new- 
ness of  life.  And  these  qualifications  are 
required  by  God,  in  Scripture,  of  all  those 
who  would  be  partakers  of  his  salvation. 
While,  therefore,  in  the  ordinance  of  "  lay- 
ing on  of  hands"  there  is  a  confirmation  to 
those  who  receive  it,  of  the  precious  mer- 
cies which  were  obtained  for  them  in  bap- 
tism, and  a  fulfilment  of  the  promise  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  there  is  also  by  the  recipients 
a  profession  of  Christianity  ;  a  taking  upon 
themselves  the  obligations  of  the  Christian 
life  ;  a  confirmation,  on  their  part,  of  the 
promises  and  vows  which  were  made  in  their 
names  when  they  were  baptized.  On  this 
account  it  is,  that  the  ministers  of  Confir- 
mation^  in  the  office  provided  for  the  admi- 
nistration of  it,  first  demand  of  those  who 
are  to  receive  it,  whether  they  "  do,  in  the 


34  SERMON   I. 

presence  of  God  and  of  the  congregation, 
renew  the  solemn  promise  and  vow  that  they 
made,  or  that  was  made  in  their  name,  at 
their  baptism ;  ratifying  and  confirming  the 
same  ;  and  acknowledging  themselves  bound 
to  believe  and  to  do  all  those  things  which 
they  then  undertook,  or  their  sponsors  then 
undertook  for  them  ?"  And  to  this  inquuy 
they  every  one  answer  audibly,  "  I  do."  An 
answer,  worthy  to  be  pondered  well  before 
it  is  given ;  as  upon  the  sincerity  and  intel- 
ligence with  which  it  is  given,  much  of  the 
satisfaction  must  depend,  which  may  be  had 
in  observing  this  ordinance. 

It  appears,  then,  that  Confirmation  is  ad- 
ministered for  the  supply  of  the  grace  of 
God  in  a  way  adapted  to  the  present  condi- 
tion of  our  nature.  On  the  part  of  the  re- 
cipients there  is  a  profession  of  the  Christian 
faith,  by  a  public  and  formal  ratification,  in 
their  own  names,  of  the  baptismal  covenant ; 
and  an  application  for  the  help  and  benedic- 
tion of  God.  God  meets  them  by  his  mi- 
nister, who,  by  the  significant  ceremony  of 
"  laying  on  of  hands,"  confirms  to  them,  on 
God's  part,  all  the  covenant  of  his  mercies  ; 
assuring  them  especially  of  his   Spirit  and 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  35 

benediction,  to  help  them  to  *' fight,''  under 
their  Redeemer's  banner,  "  the  good  fight 
of  faith,"  and  to  attain  "  eternal  life." 

Not  that  they,  to  whom  is  committed  the 
administration  of  this  rite,  have  power  to 
convey,  arbitrarily,  to  whom  they  will,  the 
graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  God  only  gives. 
They  are  but  instruments,  by  whom  he  acts. 
And  while,  as  ministers,  they  give  you  his 
benediction,  as  men  they  need  your  prayers. 

Neither  are  you  to  expect  upon  your  re- 
ception of  this  rite,  any  sudden  change  in 
your  nature,  or  extraordinary  operation  upon 
your  spirits.  For  "so  is  the  kingdom,  as 
if  a  man  should  cast  seed  into  the  ground, 
and  should  sleep,  and  rise  night  and  day, 
and  the  seed  should  spring  and  grow  up,  he 
knoweth  not  how  :  producing  first  the  blade, 
then  the'  ear,  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the 
ear."  Our  duty  is  to  be  in  the  use  of  the 
means  of  grace  which  God  hath  provided  for 
us,  and  leave  to  him  the  accomplishment  of 
his  purposes.  We  may  not  immediately 
perceive,  upon  receiving  Confirmation,  any 
change  in  our  knowledge  or  virtue.  We  may, 
after  the  reception  of  it,  fall,  perhaps,  into 
transgression,  and  not  be  uniform   in  our 


36  SERMON   I. 

growth  in  grace.  We  may  wonder,  in  the 
spirit  of  the  Syrian  leper,  how,  by  the  in- 
strumentaUty  of  such  unhkely  means,  the 
help  of  the  Spirit  of  God  should  be  com- 
municated. But  in  those  who,  with  right 
dispositions,  observe  this  ordinance,  and  faith- 
fully endeavour  afterwards  to  fulfil  its  con- 
ditions, it  is  the  part  of  faith  to  believe  that 
he  will  cause  its  design  to  be  accomplished 
in  them  who  receive  it,  vanquishing  by  his 
power  and  goodness  the  obstacles  to  their 
salvation  ;  and  in  us  who  administer  it,  "  not 
having  regard  to  our  unworthiness,  but  to 
the  purposes  of  mercy  which  he  hath  ap- 
pointed us  to  serve."* 

*  Archbishop  Seeker. 


SERMON  11. 


Hebrews  vi.  2. 

The  doctrine  of  baptis?ns,  and  of  laying  on 

of  hands. 

In  discoiirshig  from  these  words  when  they 
were  first  introduced  to  your  consideration, 
It  was  projiosed  to  set  before  you,  in  the  first 
place,  the  antiquity  and  authority  of  Con- 
firmaiion  ;  secondly,  its  import  ;  and,  thirdly, 
the  propriety  and  utility  of  it.     Under  the 
first  head  it  has  been  shown,  that  Confirma- 
tion is  the  'Maying  on  of  hands"  alluded  to 
in  the  text,   and,   consequently,  as  ancient 
as  the  Apostles'  days,  from  whom  it  has  de- 
scended to  the  Church  in  every  age  since  ; 
and  being  reckoned  by  them  among  the  first 
principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  must  be 
considered    as  having  the  approbation  and 
authority  of  God.     In    treating   under   the 
second  head  of  the  import  of  this  rite,  it 
appeared  that  Confirmation  is  administered 
for  the  supply  of  the  grace  of  God  in  a  way 
adapted  to  the  present  condition  of  our  na- 
4 


3W  SERftTON  ir. 

ture  ;  implying,  on  the  part  of  the  recipients, 
a  profession  of  the  Christian  faith,  by  a  pub- 
lic and  formal  ratification,  in  their  own  names, 
of  the  baptismal  covenant,  and  an  applica- 
tion for  the  help  and  benediction  of  God  ; 
and,  on  -the  part  of  God,  a  confirming  to 
them,  by  the  significant  ceremony  of  "  lay- 
ing on  of  hands,"  all  the  covenant  of  his 
mercies,  assuring  them  especially  of  his  Spi- 
rit and  benediction,  to  help  them  to  "  fight," 
under  their  Redeemer's  banner,  "  the  good 
fight  of  faith,"  and  to  attain  "  eternal  life." 

We  are  now  to  consider,  in  the  last  place, 
the  propriety  and  utility  of  this  ordinance. 

In  the  first  place,  its  utility  is  very  great 
in  bringing  to  our  view  the  nature  and  obli- 
gations of  our  baptism.  Ah  !  who  hath  pon- 
dered sufficiently  the  great  things  which  were 
done  for  him  when  he  was  baptized  "  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  T'  In  that  sacrament  we 
were  made  "  members  of  Christ,  children 
of  God,  and  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  It  was  the  most  momentous  trans- 
action which  shall  be  done  for  us,  individu- 
ally, in  this  lower  world.  And  yet  how 
many  Christians  grow  up  and  pass  through 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  39 

life  without  consciousness  of  these  great  be- 
hests !  Though  heirs,  if  they  will  be  so,  of 
iinmortality  and  bhss  in  heavenly  regiojis, 
they  live  as  if  their  only  inheritance  was  the 
few  short  years  they  pass  upon  this  earth, 
andthounsatisfying  pursuits  and  fleeting  plea- 
sures in  which  they  spend  them.  Though 
made  by  baptism  "  little  lower  than  the  an- 
gels" in  their  endowments  and  relations, 
they  choose  their  portion,  and  expend  their 
lives,  as  if  God  had  made  them  little  higher 
t4ian  the  brutes.  This  often  proceeds,  in  all 
probability,  from  their  not  taking  sufficiently 
impressive  views  of  what  was  done  for  them 
wdien  they  were  baptized.  They  are  un- 
acquainted with  the  greatness  of  their  voca- 
tion, with  the  treastires  which  belong  to 
them,  with  the  glories  which  are  within  their 
reach.  Confirmation  brings  baptism  to  their 
notice.  It  engages  their  attention  to  the 
great  things  which  God  hath  done  for  them, 
whereof  they  should  be  glad  ;  and  the  solemn 
things  he  requires  of  them,  whereof  they 
should  be  mindful ;  and  thus  is  calculated  to 
make  them  early  acquainted  with  their  pri- 
vileges and  duties  as  Christians,  of  whiclv, 
without  this  rite  to  point  to  the  watei's  iii 


40  ^  SERMON    II. 

which  they  were  washed,  and  the  mercies 
which  have  been  sealed  to  them,  they  might 
pass  through  many  stages  of  life,  and  even 
descend  into  the  grave,  with*  vague  appre- 
hensions, or  in  utter  ignorance.  But  of  such 
an  ignorance,  the  consequences  in  the  world 
to  come  may  be  eternally  lamented.  Even 
in  this  world  it  subjects  men  to  the  greatest 
privations  in  their  most  important  concerns. 
Without  a  knowledge  of  the  value  of  their 
baptism,  they  must  be  destitute  of  the  true 
spring  of  Christian  exertion,  and  the  highest 
source  of  human  joy.  Their  life  will  want 
the  Christian  character,  their  happiness  the 
Christian  foundation,  their  devotion  the  Chris- 
tian spirit.  They  cannot,  with  understand- 
ing, apply  to  themselves  the  grateful  strain 
in  which  the  Psalmist  describes  the  condition 
of  the  redeemed  ;  "he  brought  me  out  of 
the  horrible  pit,  out  of  the  mire  and  clay, 
and  set  my  feet  upon  the  rock,  and  ordered 
my  goings  ;"  nor  join  in  spirit  and  in  truth 
with  the  Church,  in  her  hymn  to  the  Author 
of  her  salvation,  "Day  by  day  we  magnify 
thee,  and  we  worship  thy  name  ever  world 
without  end." 

Again,  this  rite  is  very  proper  and  useful 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  41 

in  affording  young  persons  an  ojiportunity  to 
make,  publicly,  a  profession  of  the  Christian 
rehgion.  So  becoming  and  desirable,  so  rea- 
sonable and  beneficial  is  such  a  profession, 
that  nature  dictated  a  correspondent  practice 
in  the  most  cultiv  ated  nations  of  the  heathen 
world.  In  Persia,  their  youths  were  required, 
when  they  came  to  man's  estate,  to  take  a 
solemn  oath  that  they  would  despise  all  filthy 
lucre,  bodily  pleasure,  and  :i:ain  glory  ;  that 
they  would  be  emulous  of  virtue,  worship 
God,  and  honour  their  parents;  that  they 
would  speak  truth,  do  good,  and  never  wil- 
fully violate  any  of  these  tilings.  Among 
the  Athenians,  when  their  young  men  were 
enrolled,  according  to  the  usage  of  their  na- 
tion, they  bound  themselves,  by  a  solemn  ob- 
hgation,  to  observe  the  perpetual  solemnities 
and  received  customs  of  their  country,  and 
to  defend  and  reverence  the  religion  in  which 
they  were  born. 

What  appeared  so  proper  to  enlightened 
reason,  seems  also  to  have  had  the  sanction 
of  divine  approbation.  Among  the  Jews^ 
that  people  so  highly  favoured  and  so  fully 
instructed  of  God,  we  find  a  similar  practice. 
"  When  the  Jewish  children  came  to  be 
4* 


42  SERMON   II. 

thirteen  years  of  age,  and  had  learnt  the 
law  and  their  prayers,  they  were  presented 
by  their  father  before  a  holy  assembly,  and 
there  solemnly  took  upon  themselves  the  ob- 
servation of  the  law,  and  were  thenceforth 
to  answer  for  their  own  faults.  All  which 
was  concluded  with  prayer  for  their  increase 
in  good  works."  To  this  custom  our  blessed 
Lord,  who  for  our  example  was  careful  "  to 
fulfil  all  righteousness,"  is  supposed  to  have 
submitted  himself,  when  at  twelve  years  of 
age,  having,  by  his  rare  attainments,  accord- 
ing to  a  Jewish  phrase,  run  before  the  com- 
mand, he  was  found  at  Jerusalem,  "  in  the 
midst  of  the  doctors,  hearhig  them,  and  ask- 
ing them  questions."  And  di^  the  youthful 
Jew  study  assiduously  the  shadowy  religion 
and  voluminous  law  of  his  fathers,  and  re- 
joice publicly  to  take  upon  himself  that  yoke 
which  it  was  so  laborious  and  painful  to  bear  ? 
Yea,  did  the  heathens,  by  a  formal  act,  pro- 
fess the  dark,  unsatisfying  religions  of  their 
country,  and  promise  to  reverence  and  de- 
fend them  f  And  shall  Christians  not  openly 
avow  their  attachment  to  the  religion  which 
.bringeth  unto  them  salvation,  and  sheds  a 
Ailear  and  benign  light  upon  all  the  paths  of 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  43 

life  ?  Shall  they,  to  whom  the  Son  of  God 
has  come  to  instruct  them,  who  have  been 
redeemed  by  his  blood,  and  are  taught  the 
way  to  eternal  life  by  the  words  of  his  mouth  ; 
shall  they  neglect  to  choose  him  for  their 
Lord,  and  to  devote  themselves  openly  to 
his  service  f  In  them  who  have  been  bap- 
tized, it  is  not  only  reasonable  and  becoming 
to  do  so — it  is  required  of  them.  They  owe 
it  to  the  Church  who  applied  to  them,  in 
heir  infancy,  the  benefits  of  the  baptismal 
covenant,  in  the  confident  belief  that  when 
they  grew  up  they  would  acknowledge  its 
obligations.  They  owe  it  to  their  sponsors, 
who,  when  they  were  unable  to  act  for  them- 
selves, charitably  took  upon  them  these 
obligations  in  their  names,  in  the  just  ex- 
pectation that  "  when  they  came  of  age  they 
would  take  them  upon  themselves."  They 
owe  it  to  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  who  demands  that  all  men  should  en- 
list openly  under  the  banners  of  the  Christ, 
and  not  be  ashamed  of  him  before  men,  if 
they  would  partake  of  his  triumphs  over  sin 
and  death,  and  not  have  him  ashamed  of 
them,  when  he  "  shall  come  in  the  glory  of 
the  Father,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him." 


44  SERMON   il. 

*^  The  righteousness  which  is  of  faith,"  "  what 
saith  it?  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in 
thy  moiith,  and  in  thy  heart ;  that  is,  the 
word  of  faith,  which  we  preach  ;  that  if  thou 
slialt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  shalt  beheve  in  thine  heart  that  God 
hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be 
saved.  For  with  the  heart  man  beheveth 
unto  righteousness ;  and  with  the  mouth 
confession  is  made  unto  salvation."  It  was 
probably  to  some  such  act  by  the  excellent 
Timothy  that  St.  Paul  alludes,  when  he  re- 
minds him  with  such  powerful  effect,  in  his 
first  Epistle  to  him,  that  he  had  "  professed 
a  good  profession  before  many  witnesses  ;" 
and  among  the  advantages  of  Confirmation 
it  is  not  the  least,  that  it  afibrds  a  suitable, 
and,  to  the  young,  a  very  seasonable  oppor- 
tunity of  publicly  declaring  tli^ir  faith  in, 
and  devotedness  to,  tlue  religion  in  which 
they  were  baptized  ;  the  religion  of  their 
fathers ;  the  religion  of  the  Redeemer,  who 
alone  hath  "  the  words  of  eternal  hfe ;"  the 
religion  by  which,  if  at  all,  mankind  must  be 
reformed,  and  saved,  and  made  happy  ;  and 
to  the  knowledge  of  which  it  is  a  distinguish- 
ing mercy  that  God  hath  vouchsafed  to  call 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  45 

.t  all  itsoflsprmg,  its  sons,  and  its  daughters 
were  seen  at  their  entrance  upon  the^caree 
of  active  hfe  making  this  profession. 

*or,  I  add,  in  the  third  place,  that  it  is 
h'gUy   useful,   at   the   period   when    men's 
mbits  are  beginning  to  be  formed,  to  liave 
their  minds  and  hearts  prepossessed  by  the 
instructions  of  religion.     Man  is  a  religious 
being;    his  interests   and  destinies  are  not 
confined  to  this  present  world  ;  he  is  to  exist 
hrough  eternity.     Yet  the  things  of  this  life 
seize  fast  upon   his  attention,  and  have  a 
powerfijl  influence  upon  his  passions  and  con- 
duct. He  passes  the  first  years  of  his  existence 
m  a  state  in  which  there  is  every  thing  to 
mislead  his  opinions  and  endanger  his  viitue. 
The  world  is  infectious.     Few  bring  back 
at  eve  immaculate  the  manners  of  the  morn. 
Ah.  how  many  thoughts  become  rooted  in 
ti^  mind;  how  many  habits  are  given  to  the 
affections;   how  many  biases  are  put  upon 
the  conduct,  in  the  years  of  youth,  which  it 

A  "V°".f' "'■"'  '''''°"'"'  ""^  '"°^t  difficult 

duty  of  the  Christian,  in  after  life,  to  correct 
or  destroy  These  evils  proceed  from  want 
of  better  knowledge  or  holier  impressions 


46  SERMON   II. 

They  would  hardly  find  place  if  the  ground 
in  which  they  appear  were  occupied  with 
plants  of  religious  setting,  and  warmed  with 
the  light  of  celestial  wisdom,  and  watered 
with  the  dews  of  heaven  ;  at  least  they  would 
not  strike  their  roots  so  deep,  and  have  so 
strong  a  growth,  as  to  become  so  difficult  to 
guide,  so  hard  to  extirpate.  Confirmation 
calls  the  attention  to  religion  :  it  sets  before 
the  youthful  mind  what  God  hath  forbidden 
as  evil ;  what  he  has  revealed  as  true,  and  of 
highest  importance  to  them  ;  and  what  he 
hath  enjoined  as  good :  it  excites  inquiry; 
inquiry  begets  knowledge  ;  knowledge  ob- 
tained aEd  professed  under  such  solemn  aus- 
pices can  hardly  fail  to  produce'  an  increase 
of  piety ;  and  thus  there  is  placed  early  in 
the  hearts  of  the  young  a  light  by  which  they 
may  discern  the  character  and  tendency  of 
their  desires ;  thus  they  are  ftunished  with 
defence,  as  far  as  knowledge  will  go,  against 
the  errors  and  immoralities  to  which  they 
cannot  but  be  exposed,  by  the  corruption  of 
their  sinful  nature,  and  the  pollutions  which 
arc  in  the  world. 

Once  more  ;  the  comfort  and  encourage- 
ment, the  peace  and  animation,  afforded  by 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  47 

tins  rite,  are  evidences  of  its  utility.     To  be 
assured  that  a  thing  is  attainable  is  a  power- 
ful incentive  to  pursuit.     To  have  success 
guarantied  to  us  is  the  greatest  encourage- 
ment to  exertion.      How  animating   is   it, 
when  undertaking  a  difficult  work,  to  have 
the  good  wishes  of  our  friends,  the  benedic- 
tion of  our  parents,  and  assurance  of  the 
prayers  and  assistance  of  those  who  are  able 
to  help  us.     The  course  of  virtue  is  an  ar- 
duous one.     The  objects  which  the  Christian 
pursues  are  great  and  glorious  ;  but  between 
him  and  the  attainment  of  them,  there  are 
distance,  and  many  obstacles.      Confirmation 
brings  to  him  all  those  encouragements.     It 
assures  him  that  eternal  life  is  attainable  by 
him,  and  guaranties  the  attainment  of  it  to 
lii&  faithful  pursuit,  with   the   oath   of  God. 
It  gives  him  the  benediction  of  his  heavenly 
Father,  and  the  good  wishes  of  all  the  bless- 
ed Trinity  in  his  undertaking  ;  and  promises 
the  help  of  one  who  is  mighty  to  save.     In 
it  the  Almighty  says  to  him  in  effect,  at  his 
entrance  upon  the  service  to  which  he  is 
called,   "  my  presence  shall    go  with   youj 
and  I  will  give  you  rest."     At  any  stage  of 
1ms  journeying,  he  may  look  back  to  this  co- 


48  SERMON   II. 

Tenant  and  benediction,  and  if  he  have  en- 
deavoured to  observe  his  vows,  *'  though  an 
host  should  encamp  against  him,  his  heart 
need  not  fear  ;  though"  spiritual "  war  should 
rise  up  against  him,  in  them  should  he  be 
confident."  If  he  be  ready  to  say  of  his 
adversaries,  tlie  evil  passions  of  his  heart 
and  the  "  crafts  and  assaults  of  the  devil," 
the  temptations  and  sorrows  of  life,  and  the 
terrors  of  death,  these  enemies  are  greater 
and  mightier  than  I,  how  shall  I  disfiossess 
them  f  the  voice  of  the  Almighty  may  be 
heard  in  this  rite,  saying,  "  Fear  not,  for  I 
am  with  thee ;  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am 
thy  God."  As  in  any  undertaking,  so  in  the 
outset  of  the  Christian  Hfe  nothing  can  be 
more  valuable  than  the  knowledge  of  the 
favour  and  benediction  of  the  Most  High. 
He  cheerfully  pursues  his  object  who  knows 
that  the  Almighty  is  his  helper  and  friend  in 
the  pursuit.  This  is  especially  the  case  in 
approaching  the  Lord's  Supper.  As  on  the 
one  hand  it  is  proper,  that  before  Christians 
partake  of  that  heavenly  food,  they  should 
submit  to  the  order  and  rules  of  the  family 
for  whose  sustenance  and  refreshment  that 
food  is  provided  ;  so,  on  the  other  hand,  it 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  49 

is  very  desirable  that  a  portion  of  that  Spi- 
rit   which    actuates    the    family    should   be 
transfused  unto  their  bosoms,  jind  they  be 
assured  of  their  welcome,  by  being  certified 
of  their  participation  in  that  favour  which 
the  great  Head  of  the  family  extends  to  all 
the    household.     The    usefulness    and    pro- 
priety of  this  rite,  in  preparing  Christians  to 
go  to  the  holy  table  with  those  indispensable 
requisites,  a  full  trust  in  God's  mercy,  and 
a  quiet   conscience,   are   so  great,  that  the 
Church  has  seen  fit   to  order,  that  "  there 
shall  none  be  admitted  to  the  Holy   Com- 
munion until  such  time  as  he  be  confirmed, 
or  be   ready  and  desirous  to  be  confirmed.'* 
This  instance  of  the  utility  of  this  ordinance, 
whether  it  be  considered  with  respect  to  the 
good  order  and  reputation  of  the  Church,  or 
to  the   peace  and  comfort  of  the  Christian, 
at  that  trying  and  timid  period  of  his  life, 
when   he  is  about  to  perform,  for  the  first 
time,  his  highest  and  most  solemn  duty,  it  is 
not  possible  to  estimate  too  highly. 

But  what  is  knowledge,  what  is  animation, 

without  strength  !   It  is  a  difficult  warfare  in 

which  the   Christian  is  e^ngaged.     It  is  not 

enough  that  he   has  been  enlisted  to  "fight 

o 


50  SERMON   It. 

manfully  under  the  banner  of  the  Redeemer ;" 
he  must  be  furnished  with  arms  and  strength 
for  the  contest.  It  is  not  enough  that  he 
have  been  separated  and  devoted  in  baptism 
to  the  service  of  his  Lord  ;  he  needs  the 
Holy  Spirit,  of  whose  union  with  him  Con- 
firmation is  the  sign  and  means  to  strengthen 
and  protect,  to  help  and  defend  him.  And 
the  utility  of  this  ordinance  is  in  no  respect 
greater  than  in  furnishing  you  with  the  wea- 
pons of  your  warfare,  at  a  time  when  your 
enemies  are  most  numerous,  your  danger 
greatest,  and  your  own  strength  least  tried 
and  immature.  This  utility  of  the  rite  was 
prefigured  in  the  case  of  the  Apostles.  They 
had  been  called  to  be  his  disciples  by  our 
Lord  himself;  they  had  professed  faith,  and 
repentance,  and  devotion  to  their  Master ; 
they  had  partaken  of  the  symbols  of  his 
body  and  blood,  at  the  first  celebration  of 
his  Holy  Supper ;  he  had  said  unto  them, 
"  he  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save  to  wash 
his  feet,  but  is  clean  every  whit,  and  ye  are 
clean."  "  Ye  are  clean  through  the  word 
which  I  have  spoken  unto  you."  Yet  were 
they  "  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the 
prophets  had  written."     Their  understand- 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  51 

ings  were  dull  in  apprehending  the  plan  of 
salvation  which  their  Master  w*as  accom- 
plishing. They  were  ambitious  and  emulous ; 
and  when  Jesus  fell  into  the  hands  of  his 
enemies,  they  all  *'  forsook  him  and  fled." 
Their  Master  knew  their  need  of  the  Com- 
forter to  open  their  understandings  and  "abide 
with  them  for  ever  ;"  and  he  instructed  them 
not  to  go  forth  to  their  Christian  work  till 
they  were  "  endued  with  power  from  on 
high."  On  the  day  of  Pentecost  they  re- 
ceived their  large  portions  of  this  gift,  which, 
having  ascended  up  on  high,  their  Lord  had 
received  for  men  ;  and,  behold,  they  who 
before  understood  none  of  his  sayings,  now 
cotnprehended  clearly  the  great  doctrines  of 
his  salvation  ;  they  who  were  timid  and  per- 
plexed, became  courageous  and  happy  in 
his  cause  ;  exhibiting,  through  the  aid  of  the 
Spirit,  not  only  miraculous  deeds,  but  such 
attainments  also  of  faith  and  holiness,  as 
have  been  adduced,  and  with  great  power, 
as  evidences  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  re- 
ligion which  they  embraced.  Let  me  turn 
your  attention  to  a  higher  example  : — It  is 
that  of  our  blessed  Lord  himself.  Worthy 
to  be  remembered  by  all  his  disciples  is  the 


iy^i  SERMOxN    II. 

fact,  that  he  entered  not  upon  the  labours 
and  trials  of  his  life,  and  especially  that  he 
went  not  forth  to  the  temptation,  to  which, 
for  the  full  triumph  of  our  nature  over  the 
devil,  and  for  the  instruction  of  us  all,  he 
condescended  to  submit  himself,  till  he  had 
been  baptized,  and  had  received,  after  his 
baptism,  the  Holy  Ghost ;  which,  when  he 
had  come  from  the  water,  and  was  praying 
on  the  shore,  "  descended  upon  him  like  a 
dove  ;"  visibly,  for  the  satisfaction  of  others  ; 
really,  for  his  own  Confirmation,  in  his  hu- 
man nature.  Herein,  in  the  opinion  of  some 
ancient  fathers,  was  represented  to  us  "  the 
doctrine  of  baptisms,  and  laying  on  of  hands." 
''  When  he  was  washed  by  the  hands  of 
John,"  says  one  of  them,  *'  the  order  of  the 
mystery  was  settled."  The  Father  fulfilled 
what  the  Son  had  asked,  and  what  the  Holy 
Ghost  had  foretold.  The  spiritual  oil  im- 
mediately descended  in  the  image  of  a  dove, 
and  sate  upon  his  head,  and  anointed  him, 
from  whence  he  began  to  be  called  Christ, 
because  he  was  anointed  of  God  the  Father. 
And  that  imposition  of  hands  might  not  seen^ 
to  be  wanting,  the  voice  of  God  was  heard 
from  the  cloud,  saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved 


ON    CONFIRMATIOIV.  53 

Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  And, 
blessed  Lord,  if  thou  vventest  not  into  the 
wilderness  to  thy  conflicts  with  the  enemy, 
and  to  the  sufferings  of  thy  unparalleled  life, 
till  thou  wast  fortified  with  the  Spirit,  what 
are  we  "  to  fight  our  fight,  to  finish  our 
course,  to  keep  the  faith,"  without  the  Holy 
Ghost !  Happy,  surely,  are  the  youths  upon 
whom,  at  the  period  when  their  passions 
aie  strong,  the  allurement  to  pleasure  en- 
ticing, and  all  the  devious  paths  of  life  open- 
ing before  the:*-',  thou  vouchsafest  to  bestow 
the  restraining  and  protecting,  the  strength- 
ening and  consoling  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
the  Comforter.  "  It  was  expedient  for  us 
that  thou  shouldest  go  away,"  that  thou 
mightest  "  send  him  unto  us."  And  useful 
to  the  young  Christian,  yea,  to  all  men,  is 
the  rite  of  thy  Church,  by  which  thou  as- 
snrest  them,  if  they  perform  their  vows,  of 
their  participation  of  this  important  part  of 
thy  Father's  favour  and  gracious  goodness 
towards  thy  people. 

Again ;  this  ordinanec  of  the  Church  is 
useful  to  remove  the  objections  which  many 
persons  have  to  the  charitable  office  of  spon- 
sors, and  to  facilitate  the  discharge  of  tlic 
5* 


54  SERMON    II. 

sponsors'  duties.  It  is,  indeed,  an  office  of 
great  responsibility.  In  general  its  duties 
are  too  heedlessly  assumed,  too  negligently 
performed.  Sponsors,  whose  wards  are  no 
more  in  this  life,  are  they  reaping  in  the 
other  world  fruits  of  your  care  ?  Are  they 
bearing  testimony  before  the  throne  of  God 
to  your  pious  fidelity?  Sponsors,  whose 
wards  arc  living,  and  ye  who  shall  hereafter 
be  called  upon  to  appear  as  sponsors,  let  the 
prospect  of  frequent  opportunities  of  fulfill- 
ing the  charge  which  is  given  you  at  the  close 
of  the  baptismal  ofiice,  invite  and  animate 
you  to  a  faithful  attention  to  the  duties  you 
owe  to  those  little  ones,  whom  you  took  at 
the  altar  from  the  arms  of  Christ's  ministers, 
and  bring  them  up  for  his  kingdom.  Do  you 
say  it  is  a  difficult  work  ?  and  are  any  deter- 
red on  account  of  the  responsibility  from 
undertaking  this  most  kind,  and,  in  the  an- 
cient Church,  most  useful  office?  Where 
CoTifirmatlon  is  statedly  administered,  it  will 
be  for  a  shorter  time,  yea,  only  for  the  years 
in  which  the  wards  cannot  act  for  themselves, 
that  the  obligations  will  rest  upon  you.  Of 
the  bodies  of  the  helpless  infants,  for  whom 
there  were  in  reserve  large  estates,  great 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  55 

honours,  and  high  destinies,  would  any  of 
you  refuse  to  take  care,  for  a  few  years,  till 
they  might  enter  upon  their  possessions? 
How  much  rather,  then,  of  the  souls  of  the 
little  ones,  for  years  as  few  ;  whose  destinies 
are  immortality  ;  whose  inheritance,  if  they 
are  fitted  for  it,  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Surely,  the  magnitude  of  the  interests  of 
children  which  are  involved  in  the  discharge 
of  a  sponsor's  duties,  and  the  prospect  of 
being  under  the  res])onsibility  only  for  those 
years  in  which  the  young  are  not  of  age  to 
take  care  of  their  own  souls,  will  diminish 
the  aversion  of  Christians  to  sustain  this  im- 
portant office,  and  increase  their  anxiety  to 
discharge  its  obligations.  And  this  leads  to 
mention,  as  another  benefit  which  this  rite 
is  calculated  to  promote,  the  diligent  use  of 
that  vajuable  means  of  religious  instruction — 
the  catechising  of  children.  In  the  Cate- 
chism of  the  Church,  they  must  be  sufficiently 
instructed  before  they  are  brought  to  be 
confirmed.  For  the  purpose  of  preparing 
thfem  for  Confirmation,  this  incomparable 
compend  of  Christian  instruction  is  said  to 
be  set  forth.  And  the  young  who  are  taught 
to  understand,  as  well  as  repeat  it,  cannot 


56  SERMON   II. 

be  ignorant  of  any  of  the  essential  princi- 
ples of  our  holy  religion.  The  expected 
returns,  at  stated  times,  of  opportunities  to 
bring  the  young  to  be  confirmed,  will,  it  may 
be  hoped,  excite  and  encourage  ministers, 
and  sponsors,  and  parents,  to  a  full  and  faith- 
ful use  of  this  excellent  means  of  promoting 
the  knowledge  and  virtues  of  the  rising  ge- 
neration ;  and  will  also,  by  presenting  an 
object  of  importance  to  their  mind,  engage 
the  young  more  intensely  and  assiduously  in 
this  instruction.  Of  the  importance  of  this 
influence  of  the  rite,  it  is  impossible  to  give 
a  full  expression.  "  Whom,"  says  the  pro- 
phet, *'  shall  he  teach  wisdom,  and  whom 
shall  he  make  to  understand  doctrine  ?  Thctn 
that  are  weaned  from  the  milk,  and  drawn 
from  the  breasts  r" 

Further,  this  ordinance  is  oniinently  cal- 
culated to  promote  the  comfort  and  edifica- 
tion of  the  Church.  The  soundness  of  her 
faith  will  be  most  likely  to  be  preserved 
when  her  young  members,  as  they  advance 
to  her  highest  privileges,  are  well  instructed 
therein  ;  and  all  professing  the  same  princi- 
ples, promise  to  be  its  supporters.  By  ga- 
thering them  together,  in  their  earlier  years. 


ON    CONFIRMATION.  57 

under  the  same  wing  of  the  Almighty,  unity 
of  Spirit  may  happily  be  promoted,  and  the 
bond    of  peace    and    charity    strengthened. 
More  of  the  Kedeemer's  family,  it  may  be 
expected,  will  be  induced  by  this  ordinance 
to  go  to  his  table  with  a  full  trust  in  God*s 
mercy,  and  a  quiet  conscience  ;  and  while 
the  good  order  and  reputation  of  the  Church 
will  be  promoted  by  tire  satisfactory  evidence 
which  will  be  hereby  obtained,  of  the  suffi- 
ciency of  their  knowledge  and  good  inten- 
tions, who    are    received  to  her  holy  com- 
munion ;  they  who  are  about  to  sit  down,  for 
the  first  time,  at  the  sacrament  of  the  sup- 
per, will,  at  this  timid  and  anxious  period 
of  the  Christian's  life,  be  encouraged  and 
strengthened   by   the  previous  reception  of 
God's  benediction  and  grace.     The  Pastors 
of  the  Church  will  be  comforted  when  they 
behold  those  whom  they  themselves,  or  their 
predecessors,   baptized  when  they  were  in- 
fants, taking,  with  competent  knowledge  and 
devout  intentions,  their  privileges,  and  their 
duties  upon  themselves.     Those  who  have 
long  been  guests  at  the  sacred    board  will 
have  a  holy  consolation,  when  they  see  young 
communicants   rising,    many  of  them  from 


58  SERMON   II. 

among  their  own  children,  in  successive 
grades,  to  take  their  places  at  the  table  of 
the  Lord,  when  they  shall  be  called  to  his 
table  in  heaven.  They  that  are  without, 
will  observe  with  admiration  in  the  Church, 
what  the  good  Psalmist  so  earnestly  desired 
to  have  seen  in  the  Church  to  which  he  be- 
longed— its  "  sons  growing  up  as  the  young 
plants,  and  its  daughters  being  as  tlic  polished 
corners  of  the  temple."  The  efforts  of  the 
elder  to  prepare  the  younger  for  this  ordi- 
nance, by  instructing  them  in  the  Gospel  ; 
and  the  readiness  of  the  younger  to  devote 
themselves  in  it  to  the  honour  and  obedience 
of  God,  w^ould,  in  all  probability,  bring  down 
upon  the  community,  larger  portions  of  the 
blessing  of  heaven  ;  and  in  the  Churches  in 
which  many  were  found  thus  walking  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  comfort  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  it  could  hardly  fail  but  that  there 
should  be  a  goodly  increase  of  Christian 
knowledge,  piety,  and  virtue.  Upon  this 
point  I  have  the  testimony  of  the  Bishops 
of  our  Church,  in  those  parts  of  it  in  which 
it  is  most  flourishing — that  they  have  found 
nothing  more  useful  in  promoting  its  growth, 
and  pi'osperity,  than  the  administration  of 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  59 

this  rite.  It  is,  indeed,  a  remarkable  testi- 
mony to  the  utility  of  Confirmation,  that 
when  the  Ministry  and  Liturgy  of  the  Church 
from  which  we  have  received  it,  were,  in  a 
time  of  unhappy  ferment,  abolished,  many 
of  those  who  succeeded  to  places  without 
the  office  of  those  who  were  removed,  took 
upon  them  the  administration  of  this  ordi- 
nance. 

I  add,  lastly,  that  this  rite  is  reasonable 
and  proper,  as  a  becoming  service  to  God. 
He  has  a  claim  to  the  first  devotion  of  our 
hearts.     Right  and   becoming  it  is,  before 
we  enter  on  the  world,  to  acknowledge  him. 
And  especially  when  we  have    been    made 
his   children  by  adoption  and  grace,  he  may 
expect  us  to  seek  his  help  and  benediction, 
that  we  may  glorify  him  with  our  bodies  and 
with   our  spirits,  which  are  his.     We  may 
believe  that  this  service  is  pleasant  and  ac- 
ceptable to  God  ;  that  our  Father  in  heaven 
is  happy  when  we  seek  his  spirit  in  favour. 
For  what  man  is  there  among  you  who  is 
not  gratified  when  his  children  come  to  him 
asking  his  blessing,  and  desiring  his  direc- 
tion and  aid,  that  they  may  do  him  good  and 
honourable  service  ?     If  ye,,  then,  are  gra- 


60  SERMON   II. 

tified  by  the  devotion  of  your  offspring,  is 
he  who  implanted  the  paternal  affections  in 
your  bosom  less  affectionate  to  bis  children 
than  you  ?  Of  his  readiness  to  bestow  the 
blessings  which  are  sought  in  this  rite,  he 
hath  given  us  assurance,  and  affecting  illus- 
tration, in  this  beautiful  appeal,  by  the  mouth 
of  his  Son  :  *'  What  man  is  there  among  you, 
who,  if  his  son  ask  bread,  will  he  give  him 
a  stone  ?  Or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  give  him 
a  serpent  ?  If  ye,  then,  being  evil,  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father 
give"  the  Holy  Spirit  "  to  them  that  ask  it  ?" 
to  them  that  ask  it  when  they  are  setting  out 
on  their  journey  through  this  perilous  world  ? 
to  them  that  ask  it  at  his  altar,  in  *'  the 
place  which  he  hath  chosen  to  put  his  name 
there "?"  to  them  that  ask  it  with  an  unre- 
served devotion  of  themselves  to  his  service 
and  glory  1  to  them  that  ask  it  in  union  with 
his  ministers  and  "  the  congregation  of  the 
saints  ?"  to  them  that  *'  ask  it  in  his  Son's 
name,"  at  the  moment  when  they  are  con- 
firming their  enlistment  under  his  Son's  ban- 
ner, to  fight  against  the  enemies,  whom  he 
would  have  them  overcome  ?     If  there  be 


ON   CONFIRMATION.  61 

«pon  earth  a  scene  upon  which  "  the  High 
and  Holy  One  who  inhabiteth  eternity,"  looks 
down  with  pleasure,  he  surely  does  upon 
the  comimnies  of  the  young,  when  they  are 
gathered  together  to  place  themselves  obe- 
diently under  the  shadow  of  his  wings,  anx- 
ious to  be  defended  by  him  from  every  thing 
which  is  displeasing  to  him  ;  and  looking  to 
him,  meekly,  for  assistance,  that  they  may 
be  enabled  to  do  his  will,  and  become  fitted 
for  that  heaven  which  he  wishes  them  to  en- 
joy. As  he  beholds  them  in  their  adoption 
and  devotion  of  themselves  to  his  service,  I 
doubt  not,  to  use  a  sentiment  of  one  of  the 
most  learned  and  pious  divines  of  the  English 
Church,  "  he  says  of  each  of  them,  in  a 
proportionate  degree,  as  he  said  of  Jesus  at 
the  moment  when  the  Spirit  like  a  dove  de- 
scended on  him.  This  is  my  beloved  child,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased." 


ADDRESS 


DELIVERED  IMMEDIATELY  AFTER  ADMINISTEniNG  THE  HOLT 
AND  APOSTOLICAL  RITE  OF  C0NF1R5IATI0K. 


My  young  Friends^ 

There  will  be  few  occasions  in  the  course 
of  your  lives  so  interesting  and  important  as 
the  present  one.  You  have  this  day  devoted 
yourselves  to  the  most  high  God,  your  Re- 
deemer ;  and  he  hath  confirmed  to  you  the 
assurance  that  you  are  his  adopted  children, 
and  heirs  of  his  kingdom.  It  is  to  you  the 
day  of  your  entrance  upon  that  great  and 
glorious  estate,  of  which  your  parents  and 
sponsors  were  permitted  to  take  possession 
for  you,  when  you  were  yet  in  your  infancy  ; 
an  estate  containing  the  pardon  of  your  sins, 
tlie  favour  and  affection  of  Almighty  God, 
the  assistance  of  his  grace  and  Holy  Spirit^ 
and  the  promise  of  eternal  life  ;  and,  there- 
fore, very  fitly  denominated  "  a  state  of  sal- 
vation." At  this,  your  entrance  u]X)n  the 
possession  of  it  in  your  ov/n    names,  the 


C4   ADDRE3S  AFTER  CONFIRMATION. 

Church  rejoices  ;  the  angels  of  heaven  have 
been  spectators,  and  are  glad  ;  the  blessed 
Redeemer  of  our  race  receives  gratification, 
and  takes  you  by  the  hand  ;  and  the  Almighty 
Father  of  all  beings  condescends  to  bestow 
on  you  his  heavenly  benediction.  So  great 
is  the  import  of  what  has  now  been  done, 
that  you,  as  you  rest  upon  it,  and  we,  as  we 
contemplate  it,  should  be  penetrated  with 
admiration  and  gratitude,  with  humility  and 
joy  ;  and  might  well  exclaim — "  What  hath 
God  wrought !" 

(  This  transaction,  however,  is  not  a  mere 
ceremony,  which  is  now  done,  and  is  to  have 
no  connexion  with  your  future  conduct.  It 
ought  to  consecrate  your  whole  life,  to  give 
direction  to  all  the  steps  of  it ;  never  to  be 
forgotten  at  any  of  its  stages,  nor  remem- 
bered but  with  thankfulness  and  godly  fear. 
You  have  taken  upon  you  the  vows  of  God. 
The  relations  into  which  you  are  brought 
are  to  be  perpetual.  You  have  acknow- 
ledged obligations  which  are  to  be  performed 
daily.  There  is  a  covenant  between  you 
and  the  Almighty,  in  which  you  have  pro- 
mised to  believe,  and  to  be  holy.  In  virtue 
of  this  covenant  there  is  opened  to  you  the 


ADDRESS  AFTER  CONFIRMATION.         65 

prospect  of  the  lilghest  felicity  of  which  your 
nature  is  capable — even  satisfaction  in  life, 
peace  in  death,  and  immortality  in  heaven. 
But  your  attainment  of  these  blessings  de- 
pends upon  the  fulfilment,  by  the  covenant- 
ing parties  in. the  transaction  of  this  day,  of 
their  respective  engagements. 

Touching  the  Almighty,  what  he  hath  pror 
mised  he  "  will  most  surely  keep  and  per- 
form." He  hath  graciously  condescended 
to  renew  to  you,  in  your  Confirmation,  the 
assurance  of  the  pardon  of  your  sins,  of  the 
aid  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  of  eternal  life. 
Respecting  the  certainty  and  manner  of  ac- 
complishing these  things,  it  becomes  you  not 
to  scruple  or  to  doubt.  In  this  matter  your 
business  is  to  believe,  w^ith  a  steadfast  reli- 
ance on  his  word,  that  if  you  are  faithful  to 
fulfil  your  vows,  "  he  who  hath  begun  a 
good  work  in  you,  will  perform  it"  unto 
the  end  ;  "  for  the  gifts  and  caUings  of  God 
are  without  repentance  ;"  ''  with  him  is  no 
variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turning." 
The  power  of  your  God  is  equal  to  his  pur- 
poses. His  veracity  is  equal  to  his  powei*. 
"  Hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it  f  Hath 
he  spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it  good? 
6* 


66    ADDRESS  AFTER  CONFIRMATION. 

He  hath  commanded  to  bless,  and  you  are 
blessed  ;"  and,  unless  you  abandon  the  con- 
ditions of  the  blessing,  nothing  can  "  reverse 
h." 

It  is,  therefore,  respecting  the  fulfilment 
of  the  engagements  on  your  part  made,  that 
you  are  to  be  always  concerned,  so  long  as 
you  continue  in  this  lower  world.  You  have 
promised  to  the  most  high  God,  your  Re- 
deemer and  best  Benefactor,  to  renounce 
whatever  he  has  forbidden,  to  believe  what- 
ever he  has  taught,  and  to  do  whatever  he 
has  commanded.  As  you  look  forward  into 
this  path  which  you  have  entered,  does  it 
seem  to  you  an  arduous  way  ?  It  is  an  ardu- 
ous way.  For  man  to  be  good  and  gain 
heaven,  is  not  a  light  business.  But  how 
great,  how  encouraging,  how  animating  are 
your  excitements  to  fidelity  ?  If  you  perse- 
vere, the  Holy  Ghost  will  remain  with  you  ; 
you  will  have  in  life  the  favour  of  God,  the 
knowledge  of  forgiveness,  and  the  conscious- 
ness of  holiness ;  he  who  died  for  you  will 
see,  with  satisfaction,  the  fruit  of  his  love ; 
your  parents  and  friends  will  be  gladdened, 
and  society  adorned  and  refreshed  by  the 
beauty  and  fragrance  of  your  virtues.  When 


ADDRESS  AFTER  CONFIRMATION.    67 

death  shall  approach,  (for  you  all  must  die,) 
to  convey  you  from  all  you  here  hold  dear, 
to  the  tribunal  of  the  Almighty,  you  will 
have  the  only  hopes  by  which  man  can  be 
comforted  and  sustained  in  that  most  awful 
hour  of  human  probation  ;  and  from  the  tri- 
bunal of  judgment  you  will  be  taken  to  hea- 
ven, there  to  be  happy  for  ever  with  all  the 
good,  with  Jesus,  and  with  God.  If,  on 
the  other  hand,  you  become  weary  of  the 
path,  and  desert  it  for  any  of  the  entice- 
ments of  "  the  world,  the  flesh,  or  the  devil,'* 
your  portion  will  be  perplexity  and  dissatis- 
faction in  life  ;  cheerlessness,  if  not  horror, 
in  death  ;  and  everlasting  banishment  from 
heaven,  into  regions  of  darkness  and  undis- 
covered woe.  What  powerful  motives  are 
found  in  this  alternative,  to  the  most  care- 
ful and  constant  performance  of  your  Chris- 
tian duties  'i  What  inducements  to  keep  your 
souls  diligently,  to  pass  the  time  of  your 
sojourning  here  in  fear,  to  endeavour  to  be 
righteous  before.  God,  "  walking  in  all  the 
commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord 
blameless  1" 

Study,  then,  my  young  friends,  the  holy 
Scriptures.     They  are  given  by  your  hea* 


68        ADDRESS  AFTER  CONFIRMATION. 

venly  Father,  to  be  a  *'  light  to  your  feet, 
and  a  lamp  to  your  path  ;"  study,  then,  some 
portion  of  them  every  day,  that  you  may 
regulate  all  the  conduct  of  your  lives  by 
them,  for  they  contain  for  you  the  only  cer- 
tain instructions  :  in  them  we  have  the  words 
of  "  eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which 
testify  of  our  Lord*"  Use  yourselves  to 
ask  daily  in  private  prayer,  and  to  seek,  by 
a  devout  attendance  on  the  services  of  the 
sanctuary,  the  continuance  and  increase  of 
God's  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  promised  to  you,  if 
you  will  seek  it  and  use  it  faithfully  ;  and 
without  it  you  can  do  nothing.  Remember 
your  obligation  to  respect  yourselves,  and 
to  abstain  from  all  sin  and  wickedness,  cou- 
sMering  "  that  your  are  the  temples  of  God  ; 
and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwclleth  in  you.'* 
As  soon  as  you  can,  with  a  full  trust  in  God's 
mercy,  and  with  a  quiet  conscience,  go  to 
the  holy  table,  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per ;  and  never  neglect,  in  the  course  of 
your  lives,  to  attend,  with  the  suitable  pre- 
paration and  dispositions,  on  this  most  com- 
fortable ordinance.  It  is  in  this  sacrament 
you  must  find  the  food  which,  from  time  to 
time,  will  refresh  and  sustain  your  spiritual 


ADDRESS  AFTER  CONFIRMATiaN.    60 

Jife ;  and    the    medicine,   frequently,  which 
will  heal  your    sickness.     To   these   helps, 
from  the  mercy  of  God,  fail  not  to  add  the 
exertions  of  your  own  reason,  and  of   all 
your  faculties,  to  be  faithful  and  virtuous  in 
all  the  stations  and  relations  of  life,  to  which, 
in  his  Providence,  he  shall  call  you.     Cul- 
tivate, in  yniirsplvpa  pepccially,  that  henevo- 
lence,  that  readiness  and  desire  to  do  good, 
which  is  so  conspicuous  a  part  of  Christian 
virtue,  and  which,  we  have  reason  to  believe, 
it   is  particularly  pleasant  to  our  heavenly 
Father  to  behold  in  his  children.     Meditate 
upon  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  pattern  of 
all  tlxat  is  perfect  in  man  ;  and  endeavour,  by 
the  assistance  of  that  grace  which  you  have 
received,  to  be  made  like  unto  him.  "  What- 
soever things  arc   true,  whatsoever    things 
are  honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  what- 
soever things    are   pure,  whatsoever  things 
are  of  good  report ;  if  there  be  any  virtue, 
and  if  there  be  any  praise,"  as  become  you 
as  his  followers,  "  think  on  thes€  things." 
Thus  will  you  be  rendered  as  perfect  and 
happy  as  man  in  this  region  of  imperfection 
and  sorrow  can  be  ;  the  way  which  seemed 
arduous  will  be  found  by  you,  as  you  advance, 


70        ADDRESS  AFTER  CONFIRMATION. 

to  be  the  *'  way  of  pleasantness  ;"  and  the 
path  which  you  have  chosen,  to  be  the  "  path 
of  peace."  While  all  other  ways  lead  down 
to  the  gates  of  hell,  it  will  conduct  you,  at 
last,  to  the  inheritance  in  heaven.  But  if 
you  at  any  time  quit  it,  Oh  !  what  shall  I 
say  unto  youl      Repent   immediately,  and 

return    to   it,    that    so    iniquity    may  not    be 

your  ruin.  In  dismissing  you,  to  run  your 
career  upon  which  you  have  entered,  I  can- 
not but  be  filled  with  solicitude ;  and  the 
same  words  which  the  wise  king  of  Israel 
addressed  to  his  son,  I  now  leave  with  you  ; 
'*  And  thou,  Solomon,  my  son,  know  thou 
the  God  of  thy  fathers,  and  serve  him  with 
a  perfect  heart  and  with  a  willing  mind ;  if 
thou  seek  him,  he  will  be  found  of  thee  ;  but 
if  thou  forsake  him,  he  will  cast  thee  off  for 
ever." 

Christians  of  greater  advancement  who 
have  received  Confirmation,  pleasant  it  must 
be  to  you  to  behold  these  young  persons  on 
the  same  ground  with  you,  starting  in  the 
same  course  which  you  have  for  some  time 
pursued  ;  and  you  have  done  well  in  coming 
to  this  rite,  to  animate  them  by  your  exam- 
ple, and  to  manifest  your  own  desire  to  "  fulfil 


ADDRESS  AFTER  CONFIRMATION.        71 
all  righteousness."  Instructed  already  in  the 
mercies  of  the  Christian  covenant,  and  ac- 
customed, at  your  communions,  to  recognize 
its  obligations,  it  is  not  needful  for  me  to 
address  to  you  many  words.     But  there  is 
an   admonition  of  Moses  to  God's  ancient 
people,  so  pertinent  to  your  case,   and  to 
the  case  of  all  who  are  associated  with  us 
in  this  holy  rite,  that  I  cannot  forbear  to 
bring  it   to  your   notice,    and  with   it   will 
close  this  Address.     **  Thou  hast  avouched 
the  Lord  this  day  to   be   thy   God,   and   to 
walk  in  his  ways,  and  to  keep  his  statutes, 
and  his  commandments,  and  his  judgments, 
and  to  hearken  unto  his  voice  :  And  the  Lord 
hath  avouched  thee  this  day  to  be  his  pecu- 
liar people,  as  he  hath  promised  thee,  and 
that  thou  shouldest  keep  all  his  command- 
ments ;  that  thou  mayest  be  an  holy  people 
unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  as  he  hath  spoken." 


FINIS. 


Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer 


1    1012  01029  1831 


